The present invention relates generally to paperboard cartons for use in packaging articles. It is particularly useful for cartons for packaging containers such as cans or bottles for beverages, although the invention is not limited in this regard. More particularly, the invention relates to a handle for such cartons which is associated with stress-relieving severance lines.
Articles such as cans or bottles for beverages including soft drink, beer, juices and the like are commonly sold in multiple quantities packaged in a paperboard carton. For the convenience of the consumer, the carton is often provided with a handle, which commonly includes as a primary feature one or two slots or other apertures formed in the carton. These slots are commonly formed in a top wall of the carton. The user inserts the hand or fingers into one or both of the slots to lift the carton. Many varieties of handles of this type are known in the art.
Lifting a carton containing beverage cans or bottles introduces considerable stress into the paperboard from which the carton is formed. The region around the slot or slots especially tends to be subject to stress concentration. For this reason, and to prevent tearing of the paperboard and failure of the carton, it is known to design carton handles with various stress-relieving and/or stress-distributing arrangements. This is often accomplished by providing fold lines or slits in the carton wall where the handle slots are provided. An example of this type of stress distributing arrangement may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,932.
While such arrangements have experienced considerable success, it has still been difficult to eliminate minor cracks and tears from the handle slot area. While these minor cracks or tears do not ordinarily result in handle failure, consumers may see these as undesirable and may not purchase packages exhibiting such cracks or tears.
What is needed, therefore, is a carton having a carrying handle with an improved stress-relieving arrangement. Such a carton should eliminate or reduce stress-induced tears or fractures, particularly those minor cracks and tears which detract from the carton appearance.